Dear Zindagi has relied on some slick advertising in print and digital means of publicity, which cost around Rs 7-8 crore. (Indian Express)

Dear Zindagi box office collections prediction: This Friday, we’ll be treated to Shahrukh Khan and Alia Bhatt’s witty banter in Dear Zindagi. If the fan reaction is anything to go by, movie theaters are going to be packed from day 1 itself and that’s not even counting the film’s release abroad. Here’s all the facts, figures and predictions regarding the film, which, if there’s no fiasco involved, should easily make the Rs 200 crore mark in the Indian market alone. Considering the fact that Sharukh Khan has a huge international fan following, the gross of the movie is likely to cross Rs 400 cr. The profit is likely to be massive considering the budget. Just read the rest.

Rs 22 cr – Cost of production: While the fan reaction has been extremely positive, Dear Zindagi is still a niche film – for all we know, its woman-centric theme might even keep men away. It’s the reason why Dear Zindagi’s budget was limited. Shahrukh Khan, who produced the film, hasn’t taken an actor’s fees, but will be reaping its rewards as the producer.

Rs 7-8 cr – Marketing: Dear Zindagi has relied on some slick advertising in print and digital means of publicity, which cost around Rs 7-8 crore. This makes the total budget of the film roughly Rs 30 crore.
Earnings (Satellite rights) – Rs 25 cr: The rights for the movie to be screened on television after its release have been sold for Rs 25 crore.

Music rights – Rs 10 cr: The rights to Dear Zindagi’s soundtrack have been sold for Rs 10 crore.
Result: This makes its entire earnings Rs 35 crore against a budget of Rs 22 crore! However, there are other costs involved and break-even amount is a tad higher.

How much will Dear Zindagi make at the box office?

Talking about the film’s first day earnings, Akshaye Rathi said, “It will shock you but Dear Zindagi is only releasing in around 1100 screens in India. That’s shockingly low given that a Sultan has 5000 screens which is 5 times this one. But the marketing team has planned it brilliantly. They have targeted the multiplexes more because it’s a niche film. So a good Rs 8 crore is definitely on the way for the team. And it’s incredible, considering the low screen count they have.” Is he erring too much on the side of caution? Perhaps. Time will tell.

According to a report in DNA, distributors NH Media and Reliance have bought the film’s distribution rights for the price of Rs 25-30 crore. To break even, Dear Zindagi will have to at least make Rs 50 crore, but given that it stars two of Bollywood’s most beloved stars, that should hardly be a problem.

A possible snag might come in the form of demonetization, but given that most moviegoers have easily adapted to the cash crisis by buying tickets digitally, this could be easily overcome. With positive reviews and Shahrukh Khan and Alia Bhatt’s star power, the film should reach Rs 200 crore with ease.